Dallas Cowboys Blog

Houck’s legacy will live on through Cowboys tackle Tyron Smith

One of Hudson Houck’s last major acts before retirement was an aggressive sales pitch he made before the 2011 NFL Draft.

Houck implored Cowboys management to select USC tackle Tyron Smith with the team’s first-round choice. Houck, who once played and coached at the school where Smith transformed into a pro prospect, heard rave reviews about the 20-year-old junior.

But Houck was also keenly aware of the fact that the Cowboys had demonstrated a reluctance to expend a high draft pick on a lineman since they selected they selected Howard Richards with 26th overall pick in 1981. For the next 30 years, the Cowboys were the only team in the NFL that did not pick a guard, tackle or center in the opening round.

Houck hoped the Cowboys saw enough in Smith that would convince them he was worth a big investment. They did and now Smith is one of the cornerstones of the team’s offense.

Earlier this month, Smith finished an impressive rookie campaign. According to the website ProFootballFocus.com, he was rated the fourth-best tackle in the NFL among players who were on the field for 25 percent of their team’s snaps.

Thrust into a starting role after veteran Marc Colombo was released at the dawn of training camp, he soon emerged as the team’s most consistent lineman.

“Tyron has been very impressive,” Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said. “What’s been demonstrated is his mental toughness and his willingness to handle some adversity, handle
some success, handle some injury and just keep playing. He has a bright future.”

Although he experienced his share of growing pains, Smith was never a liability. Over the course of the season, he made considerable strides as evidenced by the fact that he was able to ward off Philadelphia’s Jason Babin in December after the Eagles pass rusher tormented him in late October.

Smith, an unflappable type, never seemed flustered as veteran defensive ends and outside linebackers tried to blow past him using a series of moves designed to flummox him. Instead, he stood his ground and by the end of the season Smith allowed 9.5 sacks and committed only seven penalties, according to STATS LLC. His performance was so encouraging that club officials are now discussing transposing Smith and left tackle Doug Free.

“I think Tyron is one of the best players at this stage I have been around,” Houck said. “He’s going be tremendous. I think he will be a great player.”

Houck could see Smith’s potential before the Cowboys welcomed him into the fold last April. And after watching him up close, Houck is convinced that the player he lobbied for the Cowboys to draft last year will continue to pay dividends long after his retirement.